Former Moseley favourite Ollie Thomas, who left the club in the summer for the Cornish Pirates, has re-signed at Billesley Common.

Thomas, Moseley’s record points-scorer, moved to Cornwall to seek full-time rugby at the start of this season but injury, form and competition in his preferred positions have of late restricted his first-team appearances.

The 24-year-old played for every age group at Moseley and will provide cover for a number of positions.

Thomas, who was named the club’s player of the year in 2003 and supporters’ player of the year in 2005, scored more than 1,000 points for the club in four seasons in the first team before making the move west.

The deal was completed on Sunday in the aftermath of Moseley’s visit to the Recreation Ground, where they went down unluckily 19-15 to a last-gasp try.

Head coach Ian Smith said: “We are delighted to welcome Ollie back to Billesley Common where he will once again be a major asset to the side and provide strength in depth in a number of positions.

“His experience playing in full-time rugby at the Pirates has provided him with increased physical strength and allowed him time to concentrate on developing many different facets of his game.

“But it is hard to tell if he returns to us as a better player. He will have benefited from being in a full-time environment in a strength and conditioning sense but young players need to play. You don’t get better unless you do.

“I have kept in touch with Ollie since he has been away and I have known him since he was a young lad and what he now needs is to have game time to put this into practice.

“We have been looking for cover in a number of areas in the backs and Ollie, of course, is one of those rare talents that can cover more than one position to a high standard.”

Quite what role Thomas will play and where he will fit in to Smith’s new side remains to be seen.

It is unlikely to be at fly half, confirmed the coach, who is very happy with Richard Vasey, the player he signed from Leeds Carnegie at the start of the season.

Full back could be an option given Thomas’s prodigious kicking ability but even that is not clear given the performances of Andy Binns this season and Vasey’s impressive contribution with the boot.

Smith added: “Although Ollie has some talent as a No 10 we will predominantly be looking to use him in different positions.

“If Richard Vasey is our leader in an attacking sense, we could look at taking the kicking responsibility away from him. That could happen but it’s something that will be decided in due course. We do not know who will have that responsibility.”

For Thomas for now, being home is all that matters. He said: “It will be great to pull the shirt back on.

“It has been a learning experience playing for Pirates and I thank them for the opportunity but I was brought up with Moseley, who gave me my rugby education, and ultimately it will always be ‘my club’.

“I certainly hope I can add something to the current squad.”

nAustralia flew out of Sydney airport yesterday for a six-week tour of Asia and Europe that could have a major bearing on the team’s prospects of launching a successful World Cup campaign in 2011.

The Australians start the trip with a Bledisloe Cup match against arch rivals New Zealand in Hong Kong before continuing to Europe for games against Italy, England, Wales, France and the Barbarians.